Hop! Media Group ups Michal Butel to CEO, as founders depart

Michal Butel

Israel’s Hop! Media Group has appointed Michal Butel as CEO to replace Alona Abt and Tamir Paul, the group’s co-founders, who are departing after heading up the company for the past two decades.

Butel joined Hop! Media Group in 2013 as head of content and has served as deputy CEO for the past six years. Before that, she held roles as the content manager at Keshet, and as head of branded channels and local productions at Yes.

Abt and Paul launched the pre-school Hop! Channel in 2000, while the group now also owns and operates the toddler channel Luli, Israeli Childhood, Wiz and PELE. Launching last month, the all-animation channel PELE is aimed at 2-5-year-olds, with a focus on social-emotional learning (SEL).

“Kids content has been a passion of mine for many years. I’m thankful and appreciative of Alona and Tamir for entrusting me with their life’s work,” said Butel. “I am confident that the group will continue to raise generations of kids in a safe nurturing environment as we’ll continue to create and curate quality content that caters to our unique audience.”

Abt added: “We are confident that Michal’s vast experience will allow her, together with the team at Hop!, to maintain the groups long-standing partnerships as well as expand into new creative ventures and reach new heights.”